Man of Steel (our review here) grossed $113 million for the weekend (plus another $12 million from Thursday night sales), good enough for second best of the year behind Iron Man 3, and setting the record for June releases ahead of Toy Story 3‘s $110.3 million in 2010. The news comes at a crucial time, as before this, Hollywood was just about to stop making comic book movies.

Elsewhere, This is the End (our review here) earned $20.5 million for the weekend, $32.8 million over five days. Not bad, but not as good as I was expecting when I showed up to a 10 pm screening on a Wednesday night and the place was sold out. Younger kids buying tickets to other movies and sneaking in, maybe?

In a distant second place, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s apocalypse comedy This is the End earned $32.8 million through its first five days ($20.5 million for the three-day weekend). That figure is noticeably lower than Pineapple Express ($41.3 million), and also off from Tropic Thunder ($36.8 million). Still, it’s a good start for a modestly-budgeted movie in which the “stars play themselves” set-up could theoretically have been a turnoff for casual moviegoers. [BoxOfficeMojo]

The budget for This is the End is listed at $31 million, so for all intents and purposes it’s a hit. Basically, all comedies should be budgeted just below whatever number will keep the studio from focus-grouping it to death. This is the End didn’t feel like it had been. Unless the focus groups just happened to be a room full of junior college stoners going, “I dunno, bro, maybe add more jizz jokes?” Not that I’m complaining.

Meanwhile, The Internship (reviews here) dropped a whopping 60 percent from its opening weekend. Which is strange, because Pete Hammond said “Google my words: It’s a winner.” Seriously though, he actually said that. It’s funny because he’s supposedly a film critic. Does it still count as criticism if your only audience is studio PR reps looking for pull quotes? Because I’m pretty sure that’s called copywriting.

I felt the same. By the time the last, giant fight happened (mid-air, DBZ style! finally!), I was just waiting to see the aftermath. None of the fights or big action set-pieces really made me feel anything.
I just had a lot of problems with the film, not the least of which was the “disaster porn” that he seemed to do very little about. I re-watched Superman Returns last night, and he seemed to exclusively work to save people in that one. After establishing in MoS that he wants to help people (the school bus, the tornado) he sure did a lot less of it as he got older.

When the last fight with Zod ended (trying to avoid spoilers here) my girlfriend just shouted “That’s it?” at the screen. I laughed because she was right. All of that destruction and explosions and shockwave punches and it just ends with that?

I would’ve been more happy if Zack Snyder realized what transitions were. The scenes brilliantly mimicked Superman’s ability to zip from one place to the next by shotgunning us from one place to the next. Superman has to find Lois! Next scene not two minutes later: Oh, there she is

Ugh, I tried to write this once and it didn’t show up so apologies if this repeats.

Ben has guaranteed himself a $100M+ week next week. Given the way bombs are calculated and assuming World War Z’s budget is $200M, his benefit from WWZ = x/2 + 100, where x is WWZ’s opening earnings. This means he starts with $100M and gets 50 cents for each additional dollar WWZ earns.

Monsters U also opens next week. If it earns $70M like the last two Pixar movies and WWZ earns a reasonable $50M, then Ben ends the week with $195, still far below Laremy but not bad for the 5th pick.

I saw the Superman movie tonight, and I was skeptical going in. I’m a comics nerd and I kind of hate Supes already just because, on his own, he’s kind of boring. But I think WB did a decent job establishing him as a character for a larger universe ala the Marvel/Disney flicks, and i really, really hope they follow that model. I like Superman best when he’s used as a foil for Batman, and I hope with every geeky fiber of my being that WB can establish that relationship along with the other JL characters over the next couple years to make a really decent JL movie. (P.S., Warners, if you’re listening, the awesomest way to make a brand new, introductory JL movie would be to have them lose valiantly but terribly to Darkseid; I’ll write you a screenplay for peanuts; email me).

This Is The End was incredible. It was everything I expected from it and more, honestly. Did not disappoint. I hope it’s one of those sleepers that stays earning through word of mouth. It deserves to do really well.

I liked Man of Steel, but I think I need to see it again. The action got a little tiresome after a while, I have to admit. It had a lot of flaws but I can’t hate on it like some people have.